Dee battle for a point

PLAYERRATINGS Hard-fought clean sheet for Dundee at Parkhead

A FIRST Premiership clean sheet of 2018, at the home of the champions no less, gave Dundee a hard-fought and deserved point at Celtic.

A defensive boost couldn’t have come at a better time as the Dark Blues look to get themselves out of relegation trouble.

Not many, though, would have expected a shut-out and a point to go with it to come against the Hoops.

And, despite a number of efforts and a few saves from goalkeeper Elliott Parish, their performance deserved something from the game.

Manager Neil McCann surprised everyone by using Roarie Deacon, normally a winger, up front with Simon Murray, with Mark O’Hara stepping in as right wing-back.

And in the first half that move worked a treat as Dundee gave the champions plenty of problems to deal with and showed up well defensively.

The hosts, though, did create the first chance of the game as Moussa Dembele brought a good save from Parish before the Dark Blues got a grip on the game.

It was striker Murray who sparked things as he looked nice and sharp at the top end of the pitch and he brought a good diving save from Craig Gordon after some nice passing from the visitors.

Murray was almost in behind midway through the half as he chased down a slightly short back-pass only for Gordon to beat him to the ball.

Celtic were always a threat, as you’d expect, but Parish wasn’t overly tested with the efforts they did have.

Gordon, though, was scrambling for his life as Dundee threatened to go in at half-time ahead with only the post in the way. Genseric Kusunga, in for the injured Darren O’Dea, stepped out of defence after a good tackle and sent Deacon scampering clear. Dedryck Boyata managed to get a tackle in but the ball squirmed goalwards, past the despairing keeper and off the post.

Had that got in, not too many could have begrudged Dundee the lead. Once the second half started, however, Celtic started to turn the screw.

A few hairy moments at the back started the second period before Stuart Armstrong brought another good low save from Parish 10 minutes in and the keeper was down again to stop Scott Sinclair just before the hour.

Dundee weren’t able to get out at all with wave after wave of attack coming at them.

After 72 minutes, sub Odsonne Edouard got in behind the defence, something the Hoops hadn’t managed all game, but, from an angle, chose the wrong option by hitting it straight at Parish.

Largely, though, the Dark Blues coped with everything the champions threw at them and, although Parish had plenty to do, there was nothing you wouldn’t expect the keeper to deal with.

And Dundee could have nicked it at the end, too, as O’Hara took robbed Olivier Ntcham in the corner before flashing a ball across the six-yard box but there was no one to tap in.

By the final whistle, you couldn’t deny the Dark Blues their point for plenty of hard work and endeavour.

And it’s a point and clean sheet that can stand them in good stead between now and the end of the campaign, with a few big games to come to get themselves out of trouble.

Certainly, on Saturday at Ibrox, they’ll need to keep up this level of defending if they are to turn what looked a nightmare week of fixtures into a dream one by keeping their unbeaten run going.